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Timeform Daily View | Sunday preview and tips
John Ingles of Timeform provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Sunday.
Three points of interest
Mark of Gold can win another Apprentices’ Derby for Moore yard
Amateurs, lady riders and jump jockeys have all had their own ‘Derbies’ at Epsom earlier in the season and on Sunday apprentices get their opportunity to experience the track's famous mile and a half course. Oisin Murphy and Billy Loughnane are among the young jockeys to have won the Apprentices’ Derby (15:30) in recent years, while the trainer worth following in the race is Gary Moore. He has saddled three winners since 2016 and has a couple of leading contenders, along with son Josh, this time.
They include top weight Miller Spirit who isn’t the most straightforward but is holding his form well this season, having won twice at Goodwood in June and then added the Jump Jockeys Derby over this course and distance earlier this month. He’ll be ridden by Alec Voikhansky for the first time.
Preference, though, is for stablemate Mark of Gold, the mount of Callum Hutchinson. Originally trained by Richard Hannon, Mark of Gold won his only previous Flat start for his current yard when successful in a two-mile contest with something to spare at Goodwood last May. Mark of Gold has done plenty of winning over hurdles for Gary Moore though, most recently at Kempton in February, and is a useful performer in that sphere. A BHA mark of 79 makes him potentially well treated back on the Flat and the heavy ground forecast for Epsom is in his favour too as he won that Goodwood race under similar conditions. He heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 1 lb.
Party time for Joseph O’Brien in Curragh nursery?
Aidan O’Brien looks set for another good day at the Curragh but he’s not represented in the seven-furlong nursery (15:50) where, instead, son Joseph looks to hold a very strong hand.
Among the stable’s trio is the J. P. McManus-owned Desmond Castle, a brother to the stable’s smart four-year-old Trustyourinstinct, who has gone off at long odds in maidens but has looked the type to show more in handicap company. But he’s been handed a stiffish mark for his nursery debut and his two stablemates make more appeal. Montpellier Green is also having his first start in a nursery and, with headgear back on, looks interesting stepping back up to seven furlongs after running on late over six when a never-nearer fourth in a maiden at Cork last time.
Pick of the O’Brien trio is The Marty Party who looks thrown in at the weights, being due to race off a stone higher mark in future handicaps. He has already contested a couple of nurseries, finishing a close second at Killarney before winning a well-contested event at Down Royal earlier this month despite not getting the clearest of runs. However, it’s The Marty Party’s latest start which makes him the pick of the weights here. Ridden more aggressively, The Marty Party was only beaten on the nod by the Ballydoyle filly Medici Venus in a minor event at Listowel on Wednesday, showing plenty of improvement. A reproduction of that form, which puts him 7 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, would make him hard to beat.
The Euphrates looks well weighted in Irish Cesarewitch
While it’s Cambridgeshire weekend at Newmarket, the Curragh stages the Irish Cesarewitch (16:25) which, with a first prize of €324,000, makes it Ireland's richest Flat handicap. Not surprisingly, therefore, it has attracted a full field of thirty, including several British raiders. Chief among those is Naqeeb for William Haggas who went close on his first try over two miles at Newbury in July but had little go his way in the Ebor last time when slowly away and getting hampered soon after halfway. Tashkhan, who was third under a big weight in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket last year, carries top weight again for Brian Ellison, while Ascot Stakes runner-up Divine Comedy and Chester Cup winner Zoffee represent Harry Eustace and Hugo Palmer respectively.
However, the massive prize looks more likely to be kept at home with Sixandahalf and Nurburgring looking two of the strongest contenders. The filly Sixandahalf won at Newmarket last time for Gavin Cromwell, is on the upgrade and promises to stay this longer trip, while Nurburgring, one of several runners for last year’s successful trainer Joseph O’Brien, reverts to the Flat after landing the Galway Hurdle early last month.
But it’s the sole three-year-old in the field who looks the best treated at the weights, with The Euphrates looking to have been let in lightly for his handicap debut. While he’d been consistent but not really progressing over shorter trips, despite winning a listed race at Gowran in July, he seemed to show improved form last time when making much of the running in the Irish St Leger, weakening only late on to finish fourth to high-class stablemate Kyprios. Aidan O’Brien won the Irish Cesarewitch two years ago with another three-year-old, Waterville, and with blinkers replacing his usual visor The Euphrates is expected to go close, heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 1 lb.
Tip of the Day
My Mate Alfie – 15:15 Curragh
Flags: Horse In Focus, Horses For Courses, Hot Trainer, Top-Rated
Ger Lyons’ string is in good form and his three-year-old sprinter My Mate Alfie looks the clear form pick to land his first pattern race in the Group 3 Renaissance Stakes. Both of My Mate Alfie’s wins this season have come over the same six furlongs at the Curragh. He came out on top in a tight finish to a listed race on the Irish Derby card at the end of June but ran his best race back in a handicap last time when accounting for a huge field under joint top-weight of 10-0 in the valuable Bold Lad Sprint on Irish Champions Weekend. That smart effort, when leading entering the final hundred yards to beat the reopposing Torivega by a length and a quarter, puts the blinkered My Mate Alfie 6 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings so he’s expected to take the step up in grade in his stride.
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